The Minnesota Vikings are heading into the NFL draft for 2014 with a number of needs on both sides of the ball and if they opt to pick Blake Bortles at number eight, the team could look to trade backup and former first round pick Christian Ponder to someone like the Cleveland Browns or Houston Texans after his fifth year option was declined and other names that could be in the mix include Sammy Watkins, Zach Mettenberger or Greg Robinson.
The Vikings pick at number eight in the first round and Bortles could be there if he gets past the Texans, Cleveland Browns or Oakland Raiders, while Aaron Donald and Justin Gilbert have also been mentioned as potential targets for the Vikings. The Vikings just picked Sharrif Floyd last year and that is one reason why they could avoid Donald, while someone like Marqise Lee, Sammy Watkins or Mike Evans could be in the mix to add alongside Cordarrelle Patterson. According to ESPN.com, the Vikings did not pick up the fifth year option, which would have been $9.686 million in 2015 for Ponder and now his future with the team is up in the air and that could lead to him getting moved.
The Vikings come into the draft with eight picks and that is a solid amount heading into 2014 and they could use Ponder to get another pick and that could enable the team to move up in the draft at some point. GM Rick Spielman has spoken about the possibility of taking a quarterback in the draft and the team could do it late since the class is deep and one name that has come up multiple times is Zach Mettenberger, while Aaron Murray and Logan Thomas also could be options. The team also has been in the mix for Bortles and if he slips past the top five the team could trade back and possibly still pick him.
The Vikings come into the season after going just 5-10-1 last year and they brought back Cassel to be the starting quarterback and while Ponder will have a chance to compete, it appears any long term hopes he had with the team are dashed. Last year Ponder split time with Cassel last season and he didn't play well and also was injured and with a new coaching staff coming in led by Mike Zimmer, the team could be ready for another young quarterback to come in as the backup for Cassel. Last season the team ranked 23rd in the league in passing with just over 210 yards per game, while they also ranked eighth in rushing yards.
The defense was up and down and that could be the main focus for the team in the draft, especially at cornerback, as they ranked second to last in the league in passing yards per game with over 280 yards in the air. The team starts the season with two road games over the first three weeks and they also host the New England Patriots before playing the Atlanta Hawks and Green Bay Packers and that will be the first away division game of the year on the schedule.